Numbers 25:18 Meaning and Explanation
“For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God explains: Midian vexed Israel with cunning, seduced them in Peor's idolatry, and sent Cozbi as part of this plot.
The Context of Numbers 25:18
The justification for judgment: Midian's deliberate strategy of cultural and spiritual subversion.
What Does Numbers 25:18 Mean?
For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor names the crime: Midian used cunning tactics and deceptive strategies (wiles) to ensnare Israel in idolatry. This was not accidental contact but intentional subversion. The Hebrew beguiled (tzidda) suggests seduction, entrapment, and deception—Midian set a snare for Israel's faith.
And in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake links Cozbi directly to Midian's leadership and reveals that her seduction was part of Midian's coordinated assault on Israel's covenant. Midian had sent its own daughter into Israel's camp as a weapon. Now she lay dead, and Midian would face the consequences of its own strategy.
Numbers 25:18 in the Original Language
tzidda (צִדָּה), 'wiles' or 'deceits'—cunning deceptions, suggesting deliberate, calculated strategies, not accidents.
Frequently Asked Questions About Numbers 25:18
What does Numbers 25:18 mean?
God explains: Midian vexed Israel with cunning, seduced them in Peor's idolatry, and sent Cozbi as part of this plot.
What is the context of Numbers 25:18?
The justification for judgment: Midian's deliberate strategy of cultural and spiritual subversion.